Withering Rooms
- October 3, 2022
- Moonless Formless
- 33h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Withering Rooms" is a horror narrative adventure game where players uncover the chilling secrets of a haunted museum. Investigate eerie rooms, solve puzzles, and survive encounters with otherworldly beings. With each decision, players step closer to the truth and face the consequences of their actions.
Reviews
- Highly creative and memorable gameplay that blends elements from classic horror games like Clock Tower and Resident Evil with modern RPG mechanics.
- Engaging story and atmosphere that keeps players invested, with a unique curse mechanic that alters the environment and gameplay.
- Variety of builds and customization options that allow players to experiment with different playstyles, enhancing replayability.
- Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, which may frustrate players used to more fluid action mechanics.
- The roguelike elements, while interesting, can lead to tedious backtracking and resource management that some players may find off-putting.
- Some puzzles and mechanics may feel overly convoluted or vague, potentially leading to confusion during gameplay.
- gameplay204 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Withering Rooms" is a complex blend of roguelike mechanics, survival horror, and action RPG elements, offering a rich and engaging experience with high replayability. Players can customize their builds and explore a variety of mechanics, including a unique curse system that impacts both combat and exploration. While the game features a punishing death mechanic reminiscent of souls-like titles, many find it rewarding as they adapt and uncover new strategies, though some critiques highlight issues with combat fluidity and hitbox inconsistencies.
“Many different builds, dungeons that drop randomized loot (which, if you're like me, will keep you looking for the god-roll to push you from overpowered to broken), and a bunch of new mechanics that only reveal themselves in new game+ encourage multiple playthroughs.”
“The gameplay is a challenging and addictive 2D action RPG with multiple avenues of advancement, and it strikes a good balance between hammering the player and also letting them grow and course-correct.”
“The game's atmosphere, setting, engaging gameplay, and replayability make it a standout title.”
“This would have been a great game except the developer decided it needed to be a roguelike that is rather punishing even with the stupid remember mechanic.”
“The game's combat system emulates modern action RPG mechanics and real-time combat (soulslike) but the hitboxes and hurtboxes are inconsistent and defensive maneuvers are unreliable, making this feel more like an RPG as you need to win by attrition.”
“Execution: it looks and plays like a bad flash game, with floaty controls, bizarre hitboxes and none of the precision needed for souls-esque gameplay to work.”
- story179 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its originality, depth, and engaging narrative, with many players appreciating the atmospheric and spooky elements that enhance the experience. Reviewers highlight the compelling characters, intricate world-building, and the effective use of multiple endings and plot twists that keep players invested. While some critiques mention convoluted aspects and occasional weak writing, the overall consensus is that the story is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
“The atmosphere is excellently spooky and the story and characters are as compelling as they are cryptic.”
“The worldbuilding is really interesting and goes deeper and deeper with fresh ideas and plot twists, and even new game plus has some new story in it.”
“The story is rich and deep, revealing more of itself in subsequent playthroughs through notes, NPCs, as well as new NPCs on subsequent playthroughs that further extend the story.”
“The plot was a bit of a mess, but I'm pretty sure that if I'd paid more attention, I would have understood more of what was going on.”
“Up until chapter 4, I was actually pretty invested, but near the end I stopped finding the characters and plot in general to be very believable, and additionally, I thought the ending decision was a bit forced.”
“The plot is the only weak point, as it reveals itself rather early on and there isn't much that is mysterious or engaging after the early reveals.”
- music94 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and varied compositions, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as phenomenal, with haunting melodies and a mix of genres that contribute to the game's eerie vibe. While some found certain tracks occasionally out of place, the majority agree that the music is a standout feature, elevating the game's narrative and immersive qualities.
“The atmosphere is thick, the music is aces, the vibe is immaculate.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal.”
“The music is haunting and beautiful, with eerie piano playing throughout, weird smooth jazz, and unfitting drum and bass, always fresh and original.”
“The music is repetitive at times but it is mostly alright.”
“The only fault is that the music is sometimes completely at odds with the visuals.”
“I'm sorry, but the constellation and organ music puzzle in act 2 are not satisfying.”
- atmosphere86 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and striking art direction reminiscent of classic survival horror titles. Players appreciate the thick, creepy ambiance that evolves with gameplay mechanics, such as the curse system, which alters environments and heightens tension. Overall, the combination of atmospheric sound design, engaging storytelling, and visually captivating settings creates a uniquely unsettling experience that resonates with fans of horror and exploration.
“The atmosphere is excellently spooky and the story and characters are as compelling as they are cryptic.”
“The atmosphere is done so well, the paranoia, the mystery from the story, the way curse interacts with your environment having you constantly questioning what is real even after dozens of gameplay hours.”
“The atmosphere is fantastic, the scenario is really weird but interesting (it does the 'weird other world' style very well), the soundtrack and sound design is really good and I adore the way the areas change depending on your cursed stat.”
“The atmosphere is downright oppressive at times, especially with the well-done sanity mechanic, which leaves you toeing the line of madness to reveal hidden secrets and benefits from being at a high curse level.”
“A word of warning: the atmosphere shifts dramatically over the course of the game and loses a lot of its early intensity due to the combat focus (monsters lose a lot of their scariness if you hit them with an axe in the face).”
“The atmospheres are very creepy, and when you become a certain amount of 'cursed', the environments change from lit and sort of peaceful (for the most part), to grotesque and eerie.”
- graphics51 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a distinct PS2-era aesthetic that effectively creates a creepy atmosphere, drawing inspiration from classic horror titles. While some players noted optimization issues and occasional jankiness, the overall art style, detailed environments, and eerie lighting contribute to an engaging and immersive experience. Many reviewers appreciated the unique blend of visuals and gameplay, highlighting the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while maintaining a fresh and captivating aesthetic.
“The game has a very good art style and a large variety of possibilities for different builds, and a great creepy atmosphere.”
“The PS2-era style graphics are quite effective at creating a creepy and atmospheric mansion and its adjacent locations which you'll explore in the game's four chapters.”
“The graphics are beautifully weird and creepy.”
“Graphically, at first I thought it doesn't look great but definitely decent; apparently it didn't run well on ultra (optimization issue), so I had to turn it down to high.”
“The visuals and art style of the game are limited; I assume in order to spend most resources on gameplay and content.”
“Your character is not very responsive to the controls, animations look sluggish, menus and other graphical features are slow and edgy, making it look way more like a free student project, and not like a game that I've actually paid money for.”
- replayability21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, enhanced by features like New Game+, multiple endings, and customizable challenges that keep players engaged. While some players note that subsequent playthroughs may feel quicker and involve repetitive elements, the variety of mechanics, gear options, and shifting environments contribute to a rich replay experience. Overall, it successfully blends story-driven gameplay with roguelike elements, making it a standout title in terms of replay value.
“The replay value is off the charts with New Game+ introducing new mechanics and challenges.”
“Add on top of this the multiple endings, a New Game+ with new surprises, and countless ways to customize your ever-growing arsenal of powers, and you have a game with some of the best replay value in its genre.”
“There is a truly staggering amount of content and replayability; the amount and variety of new areas, new mechanics, new enemies, and secrets constantly drip-fed throughout the game had my jaw on the floor.”
“I know it won't reach the replayability of some other roguelites like Rogue Legacy 2 or In Celebration of Violence, but it wasn't designed to pretend playing in the same room.”
“Having beaten the game and gotten the 'true ending', I feel like there isn't much replayability as a true roguelike, as this game is meant to be a long playthrough to get through it once, and subsequent playthroughs are a little faster, but you still have to go through some motions to progress the story (including watching cutscenes and talking to NPCs and doing their quests, solving the same puzzles) which detracts from the roguelike experience.”
“There is a 'narrative' mode which I've yet to try, but this is supposed to make it more playable/easier.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; some players find it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the lack of randomness and the demanding death mechanics, leading to a soulless experience. Others appreciate the enjoyable game loop and quality of life improvements that make grinding feel rewarding and less burdensome, emphasizing preparation over traditional grinding. Overall, while some aspects of grinding can be frustrating, others find it engaging and manageable.
“No enemies or items are randomized each time, so it is literally doing the same thing over and over again, the most mindless, soulless grindy experience imaginable.”
“And finally the path to true ending is way too tedious so I ended up just watching it on YouTube.”
“Though this is tedious as it is luck based and random, so you'll have to loot through several chests and potentially loop the night a few times to get everything back.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs well on the Steam Deck with only minor performance drops, players have reported significant framerate issues even on high-end systems like the 3080 and i9. Graphical settings may require adjustment, as ultra settings lead to performance problems, and some areas, including menus, experience unexpected framerate drops. Additionally, certain gameplay elements, such as environmental traps, suffer from visibility issues that detract from the overall experience.
“The game runs beautifully on the Steam Deck, with only a few performance drops here and there, but thankfully not during gameplay-intensive moments.”
“Graphically, at first I thought it didn't look great, but it's definitely decent. It apparently didn't run well on ultra settings due to optimization issues, so I had to turn it down to high.”
“The game runs fine most of the time, but I've experienced some bad framerates occasionally, even in places where performance drops shouldn't happen, like the menus.”
“Graphically, at first I thought it doesn't look great but definitely decent; apparently it didn't run well on ultra (optimization issue), so I had to turn it down to high.”
“The game runs fine most of the time, but I've had some bad framerates occasionally, even in places where performance drops shouldn't happen, like the menus.”
“Some of the balancing for melee combat seems to be poorly thought out; there are some optimization problems (no way should I be experiencing framerate drops on a 3080 and i9), and some of the environmental traps, particularly portraits that cast silence spells and wall spears in the labyrinth, are hard to see/impossible to do anything but duck and walk past.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with a compelling storyline that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the diverse and interesting character designs, as well as the gradual introduction of new mechanics that contribute to a strong sense of discovery and progression. The combination of engaging gameplay and atmospheric elements further enriches the character development aspect.
“The story is very interesting, the characters have great depth, it’s scary, the enemies have great character design, the music is great, the atmosphere is on point, it has great ideas that it executes well, it keeps slowly feeding you new interesting mechanics and concepts, and its sense of discovery and progression is awesome.”
“Great story line, solid gameplay, interesting roguelite play loop, great character design, great audio, and pretty much everything else about this game is great. Combat can be a little frustrating at times, but with so many different ways to play the game, there's always a way around something.”
“Gorgeous and horrific enemy and character design.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express concern that Steam's monetization strategy does not adequately support small game developers, particularly in terms of advertising and visibility. They hope for improvements that would enhance the discoverability of indie games without requiring extensive browsing.
“Not to mention, Steam does not provide advertisement for small game developers.”
“I hope the company will improve the advertisement of this game, so that it gets easily recommended without browsing.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its cute and funny elements, particularly noted in the hilarious walking animation featured in one of the endings, which adds a lighthearted touch to the horror RPG experience.
“The walking animation in one of the endings is hilarious.”
“It's a cute and funny horror RPG.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report encountering a range of bugs and glitches, some of which are game-breaking, but they appreciate the developers' prompt efforts to address and resolve these issues.
“Unfortunately, I experienced various bugs and glitches (both game-breaking and not) along the way, but the best part is the dev is working hard to fix every issue real fast!”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered several stability issues that disrupted my gameplay, including random freezes and unexpected shutdowns.”
